Member Article

Nike executive appointed as London's first walking and cycling czar

London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has announced the city will be getting its first ever full-time walking and cycling commissioner charged with getting more Londoners into physical activity.

Will Norman, who is currently Global Partnerships Director at Nike, will oversee programmes and initiatives aimed at promoting non-polluting travel in the capital as part of the Mayor’s Healthy Streets programme.

Working with the Mayor, Deputy Mayor for Transport and Transport for London (TfL), Norman will work to invest Khan’s record £770m budget on infrastructure and cycling initiatives which has been pledged until 2021/2022.

Following the appointment, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m determined to make walking and cycling safer and easier for all Londoners, which is why I’m providing more investment than ever before, and appointing a Commissioner to focus full-time on this vital area of work.

“Will Norman brings to this new role an impressive track record in delivering major international projects to get more people active.

“As the first ever full-time Commissioner, he will be able to make a substantial difference getting Londoners of all ages and backgrounds walking and cycling more – improving our city for everyone.”

During his time at Nike, Norman has spearheaded a programme to put global activity at the top of the policy agenda, which involved collaboration with the UN, the European Parliament and the World Health Organisation.

The new Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “I’ve been working for the last five years advocating the benefits of exercise and physical activity to people’s lives around the world.

“Cycling and walking can play a transformational role in improving our health and happiness, and building better communities for everyone. I am hugely excited to have the opportunity to champion cycling and walking in my home town.

“London has so much potential to be a more active city and I’m looking forward to applying my knowledge and experience to open up cycling to everyone in our city, and give walking the focus it truly deserves.”